Project Tailblade
by TheEmeraldArcher
Summary: Something different happened that night at the mall, a new ally joined the animorphs,Sam a friend,now the war is over, Jake is now the leader of an elite morph-capable counter terrorist group, but when he is asked to turn him in, will he be able to do it?
1. Chapter 1

(New story!, This is a short interaction between Jake who now leads the morphs capable special ops group and my fictional character Sam, who I use in pretty much every animorphs RP and fanfic i start/write. chances are you don't know who he is, so long story made short he was born and abandoned cause his mother was raped, then a pair on andalites nonliths in human form who were refuging from the Yeerk-Andalite war on earth rescued him, but he was weak and likely to die so they tested on him a serum part of "project tailblade" (andalite super soldier serum) and it worked, boosting him to the peak of human ability).

My name is Jake. The war with the Yeerk is won. Now, I lead a group of morph capable special ops counter terrorists. I have just been briefed on my new mission, and for the first time in years, it was a mission I didn't want to accomplish.

I had been sent to capture Sam, one of my fellow ex-animorphs, well not exactly. Sam, abandoned and left to die by his biological mother as a child, he was rescued by a couple of andalites, they saw he was going to die, so they broke the law of Seerow´s kindness, they tested "project tailblade" serum on him, it worked and he was improved to peak on human potential.

At 13 years old he was faster and stronger than most athletes to ever compete in the Olympics, intelligent too, he was all a human could ever be.

But like many of us, he didn't know it until the night when we found Elfangor, he joined us and helped us win the war, but the government wanted more. Now the andalites had refused to share their weapon technology with humans they had turned to him, they had tried to convince him to share the secret of the serum in his blood, but he had refused and went into hiding.

Now I had been ordered to capture him so that a new breed of super soldiers could be created, it was my duty, but not I wanted to fullfill.

I looked for him for a while, his home, places the seven of us would visit so many years ago to figure out how many Cinnamon buns Ax could eat before exploding, and finally, were it all began.

I went alone, always alone, hoping to convince him before I had to take him by force, he was my friend.

The half-finished buildings of the construction site looked ever more old. I walked along the maze of walls were so long ago I had lost a pursuing Hork-Bajir.

-SAM!- I yelled, my voice echoed in the walls, I looked around in the darkness, hoping I could have the tigers eyes without having to morph.

-Hi Jake- his voice came behind me, I looked around startled. He hadn't changed much, he still had the shoulder lenght black hair and slightly tanned wore the andalite mail inherited by his parents, silver and shiny looking like a long sleeved shirt, a pair of creamy color pants and the same tennis shoes he wore when we were on missions.

Watching him sitting on that pile of rubble didn't diminished the respect I had for him one bit.

I looked at his one good eye, trying to ignore the long scar that ran from his chin, over his left cheek and stopped on his eyebrow, courtesy of Vissers 3 tailblade. the other eye was gray and dead.

-Its been a while- I said walking towards him, hands in my pockets.

-Yeah- He answered not paying attention.

I cleared my throat, -Sam you know why Im here don't you?-

He smiled -Yeah I had the feeling you hadn't come all the way from Washington just to say hi, so the big fish want the serum don't they?-

I nodded. -My team is coming tomorrow to get you-

-And you expect me to go quietly?-

-No, I know you wont-

-You don´t have to do it Jake-

-I do-

-Jake they want to use the serum as a weapon- his voice was rising to a yell -Next thing Ill know, they'll be sending super-soldiers to middle east for oil!-

I answered calmly -We stopped using oil a few years ago Sam, the Andalites gave us a hand with that-

He laughed -I guess Ive been off a little longer than I thought- He had picked up a stick and was drawing with it on the dirt -But there are still a lot of reasons to make war, natural resources, terrorism, and if all that fails they can throw the word "freedom" on a speech and the killing starts again.-He stopped to take a deep breath -I don't want to carry with all those deaths-

-That never seemed to bother you when you were kicking the stuffing out of Taxxons Sam, what changed?-

-That was different!-He said tightening his jaws -We never asked for it, we were just kids in the wrong place at the wrong time!- He was shouting now but then he calmed down.-Besides our country, our planet, was in danger, we had to do something-

-I know, none of us asked for it. But what do you plan to do? Live here for the rest of your life?-I asked.

-Jake I never enjoyed this more than you or Cassie, not like Rachel who enjoyed killing or getting battle, the rush, it scared the crap out of me,and in a way, it was fun,but killing? Never. Remember? I knocked them out, broke some bones,but never went to battle with the intention to kill.-

-So why did you fought then? Freedom? Just the rush?-

-I never wanted to kill anyone- He repeated -But I don't like bullies, no matter where they are.- He took a deep breath and continued. -Don't you get it? A few years ago the yeerks were the bullies, If we do this we´ll be no better than them.-

I let his words blow past, I´d think about them later.I turned my back on him and began to walk away.

-How many Jake?- He asked.

I turned around -What?-

-I need to prepare for the party, how many?-

I grinned -Me plus five- I answered.

-Just like the good all days right? I hope you trained them well, remember when I helped you free Tom?-

-I do- I answered, it was true, he had offered to be a host for Toms yeerk so I could have my brother back, just like Cassie had done once. The yeerk had then used his body and fought the six of us to a standstill. We only won because Sam managed to control his body for a second, enough for Ax to knock him out with the flat side of his blade.

-Don't worry, they're good enough for you- With that I walked away of the construction site.

I hoped Sam would run away, but I knew he wouldn't, he had never run away from a battle he knew he had a chance of winning.

Whatever happened tomorrow, it wouldn't be pretty...


	2. Chapter 2

-Tiger one to squad- I called through the thought speak transmitter – I'm going in, await further instructions-

-Puma six to tiger one, roger that, good hunting- Tiger one, for obvious reasons, was my codename, puma six was the second in command. I was standing outside the construction site, not yet in morph. My men were positioned in different locations, ready to enter.

I transmitted again –Hyena 2, Leopard 3, Wolf 4, Panther 5 do you copy?-

-We copy loud and clear sir- They answered.

I walked in, just like yesterday, just that this time I was wearing my morphing outfit, and over it, black clothes and a bulletproof vest, not that those were going to be useful anyway.

I cursed the darkness inside as I looked around, half-expecting to see Sam sitting were I had left him but he wasn't there. Movement behind me! I turned around and as a reflex took out the standard-issue 9mm I always carried even though in any fight I´d rather be the tiger. He stood there, looking at me with a cold expression. Not angry, but disappointed.

-And you men? - He asked.

-Outside, waiting for my signal, are you sure you don´t want to come? It´s your last chance-

-Jake, please don´t do it, I´m not going quietly and if your men come, I´ll have to kill them, if I just hurt them they´ll morph back and you´ll never leave me alone until you capture me or I die-

-They´ll use the serum as a cure Sam, for everything, your blood is the answer to everything, HIV, diabetes, cancer! Why won't you do it?-

-Jake, you and I know better, yes they´ll make vaccines for all of that, but in the meantime, USA, has always been the most powerful country on earth, we invented the A-bomb to ensure that, they called it the ultimate weapon of the time, the serum will be the ultimate weapon of this time-

-We´ve changed Sam, the human race, for better! I know it! - My temper rose, fast, this time it was me doing the yelling.

-Maybe- but there are always exceptions. Look I'm really sorry about all of this-

-So am I- I answered.

-But I´m not going to kill you-

-What?-

-I decided never to touch you, from the beginning, when everything is over, you´ll still be alive-

-Why?-

-I had the hope you could change your mind-

-No Sam, it´s my duty, even if you win, I´ll keep chasing you. So that's it, you won´t come? It's my last offer-

-No thanks, you should begin to morph and order your men to come in- he began to run away, further into the half-finished mall, he ran straight to a 15 feet wall that continued to a whole new floor and a few inches from it he jumped, kicked the wall to propel himself further up and grabbed the ledge of the wall, climbed over it and continued to run. Half the way he turned around and yelled –Jake! -I looked up – If you win, promise me something, try to make the big fish understand OK?-

-I promise! - I yelled back

-And one last thing, when the time comes, just think about me as a nutcase, or a controller, it will be easier for you that way-

I nodded sadly, I knew what he meant, but didn´t wanted to accept it, as he ran away, faster than any human ever could, I began to morph the tiger, the orange and white fur grew from my face. The tail squirted out behind me. My arms bulged and rippled, my clothes and the Kevlar rippled and I fell forward to my front legs. The power was electric. It was like a slow-motion explosion. I could feel the power of the tiger growing inside me. I watched claws, long, wickedly curved, tearing, ripping, shredding claws, grow from my puny human hands. I could feel the teeth sprouting in my mouth. My eyes looked through the darkness like it was broad daylight. No matter how many times I did that morph, feeling the liquid steel muscles of the tiger ready to kill was amazing, but thinking that this time the prey was a friend killed me from the inside.

I called in thought speak, not needing to use the transmitter any more.

-Tiger one to squad, breach and clear-


	3. Chapter 3

A demolition charge goes on in the nearest Wall, in come 4 men, all in black and wearing body armor, I instantly begin calling orders. Two of you in morph, spread out and find him. The other two, stay here and cover any possible escape routes they don´t answer, simply follow the orders. A puma and a wolf stand were once men stood. _Litefoot you ready?_ I call out to the sniper on top of the mall. Yes sir, one shot one kill

_Not today, aim for his feet I answer Do you have visual?_

_Yes sir, infrared confirmation of target, 50 meters east_

_Move out people!_

We do _Stay tight, no more than 15 meters between each of us_ we reach a fork in the road.

Which way litefoot?

_I…no…sir_

We´re out of thought speak range.

_Puma, wolf, take the left, I´ll take the right_

We separate; I push my keen tiger senses as far as they can go. Trying to hear the slightest hush that gives away his position. No such luck. I walk on, when suddenly _Contact!_ I run towards the source of thought speak, Puma.

No more than 5 seconds pass, 5 seconds to late.

When I arrive, both puma and wolf are on the floor. Puma doesn´t move, doesn´t breath.

_The bastard snapped his neck, and broke my spine_ call wolf as he drags himself towards me, his lower halve is limp.

_Demorph_ I order, we don´t mourn wolf, we´ll do it later, now we must concentrate.

He does and remains a human, in his morphing outfit, awaiting orders –I´ll kill that son of a…-

I let out a roar that shakes the very earth_ Silence! That man saved my life and those of my friends more times that I can count, he is a friend, I curse the moment I was assigned to this mission_

I try to calm down Let´s regroup at the exit

We move, in less than a minute we arrive. But what we found is terrible, both my men are dead too, one of them has a snapped neck, the other a bullet between his eyes. How we didn´t hear the shot, I have no idea.

_Litefoot did you saw him?_

The man doubts a moment before answering _Yes sir, I tried to go for a foot shot as you told me, he was too dam fast. Kept moving in and out of my sights_

Gunshot! I turn around; wolf is down, blood spilling from his stomach. Obviously Sam didn´t went for the kill. –No one else has to die Jake- He appears from the shadows, in front of me. –Just take your men and leave, please-

_Sir I´ve got a clear shot. Assured lethality_

_Hold your fire_

Sam aims a 9mm at my partner, this time for the kill. –Demorph Jake, or he dies- Many times innocent lives have depended on me, many times I had made the wrong choice and my friends and family suffered dearly. I demorph.

Wolf drags towards the bodies of the two other men. Outside my field of vision.

After smiling Sam walks towards me and gives me the gun –Shoot me Jake. I promise the world will be a better place without me- I don´t move.

-You bastard! - yells someone behind us. Two gunshots. –Watch out!-Sam pushes me out of the way .I fall to my back. The first bullet, fired by wolf, hits him in the chest, the andalite mail is bullet proof, he isn´t so lucky the second time, and a .50 cal is much bigger than a 9mm. Blood spurts from his neck. He holds it, as if trying to prevent the vital fluid from escaping, but it flows through his fingers too. He falls, I rush towards him. –No!-

He smiles –It´s OK Jake- He says while bubbles of blood form around him. -You know, we were never so different you and I. I g…guess that I always had some problem with orders- Hi tries to draw breath. –Just… don´t… let ´em take it-

Tears flow from my eyes –I promise- I whisper. –And I´ll see Rach…Rachel again- The light in his eyes dims, and goes off.

I don´t know how much time I kneeled there, I don´t care. When I finally stormed of the building Litefoot was there.

-I´m sorry sir. I thought he was attacking you-

That night I returned home to Washington. The next day I was called to give a report on my mission.

-Congratulations Berenson- the Colonel greets me once in his office.

-For what sir if I may ask?-

He laughs –Why my boy, you gave us the Holy Grail. Let´s face it, with all those andalites running amok, we needed to be prepared. And you know the saying "Guns win battles but men win wars". Now we have the best men possible.-

It hits me like a ton of bricks –You mean that…-

-I do! Project SPARTAN is already under way; the first 200 will be ready for tomorrow-

As you know, blood contains DNA, and there was plenty of Sam´s blood in the construction site.


End file.
